A 14-year-old Vietnamese student has won third prize at the 47th International Letter-Writing Competition For Young People, launched globally by the Universal Postal Union (UPU).

The UPU recently celebrated World Post Day (October 9) and presented the contest prizes in Bern city, Switzerland, according to the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Information and Communications.

This year’s event challenged contestants to “Imagine you are a letter travelling through time, what message do you wish to convey to your readers?”

The first prize was presented to a 13-year-old Cypriot student, while second prize went to a 10-year-old Portuguese child.

Nguyen Thi Bach Duong, an eighth grader at the Nguyen Trai Junior High School in Nam Sach district, Hai Duong province, won third place.

In her letter, Duong imagined up an editorial letter from the US-based The Sun newspaper in response to an eight year old reader’s question of “Is there a Santa Claus?” in 1987.

With a natural, pure, and empathetic writing style, the letter combined messages calling for love and respect for children along with attention to disadvantaged and unprotected children. It allowed readers to think of a world free of war, violence, poverty, and injustice.

This letter won the top prize of the national UPU contest in May this year. It was translated into French and English to be sent to the UPU to take part in the international competition.

Vietnam became a member of the UPU in 1976 and has taken part in the UPU letter-writing contest since 1987.

So far, Vietnamese students have won 14 prizes at the international competition, including two first prizes, one second prize, four third prizes, and seven consolation prizes.

The communications ministry said the 48th international letter-writing competition in Vietnam will be launched on October 12. The contest will task students to “Write a letter about your hero”.